This wiki has been modified for use by NSTA National Boston attendees in the Aerospace Educator Shar-a-thon session 2612 and "Integrating Science, Mathematics, and Technology into Elementary Classroom Units" - Session 1305. We have attempted to bring together different tools and lesson plans which would enrich an interdisciplinary unit with a "Rocketry or Space Theme".
The theme for this unit will be “Rocketry”, but you will quickly see the activities incorporate many skills from across the core subjects and the 21st Century Skills for Learning. Throughout these pages, you will find links to online tools and web sites resources imbedded in the text or listed to permit ease of connection during your use of this wiki.
Few activities generate an immediate interest with students as launching rockets. However, traditional hobby rocketry activities are expensive on a per student basis and often include a list of precautions and regulations to ensure the safety of everyone who is involved. We will use simplified activities that greatly reduce both costs and safety concerns.
Educators with NASA’s Offices of Education located at space centers located around the country have contributed to online and printed educator guides on the topic of Rocketry. Each of these guides are designed as K-12 resources and post national standards that may be interwoven into the fabric of your unit. Obviously, activities appropriate for Kindergarteners are not equally appropriate for seniors in high school, so a part of this wiki will be identifying one activity in particular to which we will make modifications specifically for elementary and middle grades.
The primary source for our unit will be the “Rockets” educator guide produced by the Kennedy Space Center in Florida (EG-2011-11-223-KSC) http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/topnav/materials/listbytype/Rockets.html
Do not be alarmed by the safety message that appears at the top of this NASA website. NASA withdrew a single activity and compressed air launcher design for safety modifications. The activities referred to in this unit have been tried and tested activities with excellent results.
From the list of hotlinks on this NASA webpage we will be using:
Additionally, a simplified version of the advance high-powered rockets activity for use on the Pop! Rocket Launcher is located at the Teacher Link Resource page. http://teacherlink.ed.usu.edu/tlnasa/units/Rockets2/18.pdf
Other resources will be linked throughout this unit for teachers expanding or simplifying the activities to be more age appropriate for their classes.
The teacher will want to create the launcher for the paper rockets ahead of time, so the students can visualize how their designs will take flight and make appropriate modifications during the Engineering Design Process.
The NASA Pop! Rocket Launcher is described in detail on the NASA web site linked here. There is also a nice video production created by Erin the writer for the Little Owl Notes. Erin takes you though the steps to construct the launcher from half inch plastic PVC pipe easily available at your local hardware store. If you plan on making several of these launchers or are inclined to work with PVC again in the future, purchasing the specialized PVC cutter is a far easier and smoother method of cutting the piping than sawing.
If you will be using the launcher(s) with many students you may wish to use PVC cement to secure the caps and pieces at the "T" end of the launcher, leaving the central "T" joint and other slip joints unglued for changing the angles of the launches and for disconnecting the plastic soda bottles. In my years of using these launchers, I have also fashioned several PVC pieces taped into bottles for use with larger groups. Having these ready ahead of time speeds up the process for launching and the extra "fuel" bottles are easily replaced if one breaks during launch. If you wish to add the variable of different volumes of air for launches by using a 3 liter plastic bottle, you can apply duct tape to the circumference of the PCV pipe to fit snuggly into the mouth of the larger bottle an then secure it as you would for the 2 liter bottle.
The "High Powered Paper Rocket" was designed to be launched from a compressed air launcher with dramatic results; however, this launcher was the item removed from the portfolio for safety concerns. The same rocket fits onto the half inch PVC Pop! Rocket Launcher. While it may not send the paper rockets the length of a football field, the Pop! Rocket launcher is considerably safer, creates an exciting launch and gives excellent measurable data. You may disregard the high pressure launcher and bicycle pump or compressor identified in the High Powered Paper Rocket plans as these are no longer needed when the Pop! Rocket Launcher is used.
Some of your students may ask what exactly is "PVC"? Here is a wikipedia link that explains the unique chemistry of plastics. While you are purchasing the PVC pipe for your launcher, you will also need 12" pieces for your students to construct the body of their paper rockets. If the project extends across multiple days and multiple classes, you will need a piece of PVC for each student or team taking part in construction. Once you make this purchase the pipe used for the rockets and the launcher are non-consumable and will and will be available for classes well into the future, leaving only the office materials and plastic bottles to be replenished each time the unit is offered. Back to Top
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Welcome to Our Rocketry Interdisciplinary Units
Rick Varner (grades 4-8)varnerrs@gmail.com
Ellyssa Varner (primary grades)
ellyssa.n.varner@gmail.com
This wiki has been modified for use by NSTA National Boston attendees in the Aerospace Educator Shar-a-thon session 2612 and "Integrating Science, Mathematics, and Technology into Elementary Classroom Units" - Session 1305. We have attempted to bring together different tools and lesson plans which would enrich an interdisciplinary unit with a "Rocketry or Space Theme".
NSTA Session 1305 PowerPoint Slides
Apollo 11 Remastered Video used in the NSTA program:
http://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a010400/a010451/Apollo_11_Intro_H264_720p.mov
Links to Standards
Pop! Rocket Launcher
Page Hotlinks:
Original NASA Project X-51 Page
Adapted Project X-51 Unit for use with Paper Rockets
Rocketry ELL Page
21st Century Skills Page
21st Century Tools Matrix Page
Introduction
The theme for this unit will be “Rocketry”, but you will quickly see the activities incorporate many skills from across the core subjects and the 21st Century Skills for Learning. Throughout these pages, you will find links to online tools and web sites resources imbedded in the text or listed to permit ease of connection during your use of this wiki.Few activities generate an immediate interest with students as launching rockets. However, traditional hobby rocketry activities are expensive on a per student basis and often include a list of precautions and regulations to ensure the safety of everyone who is involved. We will use simplified activities that greatly reduce both costs and safety concerns.
Educators with NASA’s Offices of Education located at space centers located around the country have contributed to online and printed educator guides on the topic of Rocketry. Each of these guides are designed as K-12 resources and post national standards that may be interwoven into the fabric of your unit. Obviously, activities appropriate for Kindergarteners are not equally appropriate for seniors in high school, so a part of this wiki will be identifying one activity in particular to which we will make modifications specifically for elementary and middle grades.
The primary source for our unit will be the “Rockets” educator guide produced by the Kennedy Space Center in Florida (EG-2011-11-223-KSC) http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/topnav/materials/listbytype/Rockets.html
Do not be alarmed by the safety message that appears at the top of this NASA website. NASA withdrew a single activity and compressed air launcher design for safety modifications. The activities referred to in this unit have been tried and tested activities with excellent results.
From the list of hotlinks on this NASA webpage we will be using:
- 3…2…1…Puff!
- Pop! Rocket Launcher Directions
- Project X-51
Additionally, a simplified version of the advance high-powered rockets activity for use on the Pop! Rocket Launcher is located at the Teacher Link Resource page. http://teacherlink.ed.usu.edu/tlnasa/units/Rockets2/18.pdfOther resources will be linked throughout this unit for teachers expanding or simplifying the activities to be more age appropriate for their classes.
Resource Links to Related National Standards
Mathematics & English Language Arts
English, Mathematics, Science and Social Studies
Partnership For 21st Century Skills
Free pdf download from Academy Press
Free pdf download from Academy Press
Topic Search
NCTM Website
(Formerly NETS)
pdf & Word download formats & assessments
Creating the Pop! Rocket Launcher
The teacher will want to create the launcher for the paper rockets ahead of time, so the students can visualize how their designs will take flight and make appropriate modifications during the Engineering Design Process.
The NASA Pop! Rocket Launcher is described in detail on the NASA web site linked here. There is also a nice video production created by Erin the writer for the Little Owl Notes. Erin takes you though the steps to construct the launcher from half inch plastic PVC pipe easily available at your local hardware store. If you plan on making several of these launchers or are inclined to work with PVC again in the future, purchasing the specialized PVC cutter is a far easier and smoother method of cutting the piping than sawing.
If you will be using the launcher(s) with many students you may wish to use PVC cement to secure the caps and pieces at the "T" end of the launcher, leaving the central "T" joint and other slip joints unglued for changing the angles of the launches and for disconnecting the plastic soda bottles. In my years of using these launchers, I have also fashioned several PVC pieces taped into bottles for use with larger groups. Having these ready ahead of time speeds up the process for launching and the extra "fuel" bottles are easily replaced if one breaks during launch. If you wish to add the variable of different volumes of air for launches by using a 3 liter plastic bottle, you can apply duct tape to the circumference of the PCV pipe to fit snuggly into the mouth of the larger bottle an then secure it as you would for the 2 liter bottle.
Launcher and Paper Rocket Plans
The "High Powered Paper Rocket" was designed to be launched from a compressed air launcher with dramatic results; however, this launcher was the item removed from the portfolio for safety concerns. The same rocket fits onto the half inch PVC Pop! Rocket Launcher. While it may not send the paper rockets the length of a football field, the Pop! Rocket launcher is considerably safer, creates an exciting launch and gives excellent measurable data. You may disregard the high pressure launcher and bicycle pump or compressor identified in the High Powered Paper Rocket plans as these are no longer needed when the Pop! Rocket Launcher is used.
Some of your students may ask what exactly is "PVC"? Here is a wikipedia link that explains the unique chemistry of plastics. While you are purchasing the PVC pipe for your launcher, you will also need 12" pieces for your students to construct the body of their paper rockets. If the project extends across multiple days and multiple classes, you will need a piece of PVC for each student or team taking part in construction. Once you make this purchase the pipe used for the rockets and the launcher are non-consumable and will and will be available for classes well into the future, leaving only the office materials and plastic bottles to be replenished each time the unit is offered.
Back to Top
Getting Started
Need Help?